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Research Doesn’t Support Many Common Medical Tests

The November 15, 2003 issue of the British Medical Journal reports that many of the commonly performed medical diagnostic tests do not have high quality evidence that proves they are effective at monitoring the diseases for which they were ordered.

Researchers at Hope Hospital in Manchester, UK, led by Dr. P.J. Sullivan reviewed the records of 90 patients to see which clinical tests were ordered in their case and why they were ordered. After identifying which tests were done, the research team performed a Medline search to see which tests were supported by evidence that they were effective.

Of the 165 tests they examined, only about half of them were supported by high-quality evidence. In fact, the researchers found that there were no studies whatsoever for such common tests as serial chest x-rays to rule out lung cancer and ESR tests to evaluate TB.

He added that “it may be that some of these tests could benefit from more scientific study.” Many tests that medicine uses these days “were devised a long time ago, based on logic and common sense. Newer tests are much more rigorously investigated before manufacturers are permitted to market them.”

Sullivan and his team concluded there is a “clear need for further high quality research into medical tests.”

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